UK Asian Film Festival Announces ‘Revolution’ Theme for 2019

Friday, 15 February 2019 12:14

At a time of significant change the world’s longest running South Asian film festival outside India marks its 21st anniversary with a curation inspired by the theme of Revolution.

UK Asian Film Festival, historically known as Tongues on Fire and then London Asian Film Festival, is also synonymous with championing South Asian feminist films and supporting pioneering artists and auteurs. It will run in four cities across the UK, London, Manchester, Leicester and Edinburgh, from 27^thMarch - 4^thMay 2019, supported by the BFI with National Lottery funding.

Honouring ‘Revolution’ through the vehicle of South Asian Cinema, UK Asian Film Festival looks at the #MeToo movement gathering momentum in the Indian and Pakistani film industries and the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the repeal of Section 377 in India last year. UK Asian Film Festival will present a series of milestone films that signify society-led change. These will include a screening of nine, award-winning short films directed by powerful Indian women curated by Archana Padmini in association with Women In Cinema Collective and Minimal Cinema, spreading the message of feminism and gender sensitivity. The Women In Cinema Collective has taken a firm stand in support of a colleague who has survived a sexual assault.

Festival Director, Dr Pushpinder Chowdhry MBE says, “This year’s festival will present pertinent stories of the ordinary person told through films that address global challenges of our time. Revolutions help define who we are; they can either bring glorious freedom to our inner thinking and outer aspects of our lives or restrain us by what we think is acceptable. Only then can we break the boundaries to realise our full potential and to navigate our way in the world.”

Creative Director Samir Bhamra adds, “This festival has always been revolutionary. When Tongues on Fire started 21 years ago, it was the only Asian women’s festival in the world platforming female talent across all media. As a tribute to our pioneering start, the BFI has awarded funds from the National Lottery to also enable the UK Asian Film Festival to establish a Young Curators Lab to nurture a new generation of cinema audiences to appreciate and distinguish independent, South Asian films from all over the world. In short, we are handing control of a key gala screening to young people!”